Nope, but see my comment above about summer/winter fuel blend. Easy to test it...fill 'er up with winter blend. Devon
12lives, I have a bad habit of over thinking everything I touch. LoL. I'm also a perfectionist and a worrier. In fact, my last overseas assignment, I was in charge of the Mechanical shop, my going back to Headquarters gift from my collogues. was a wooden plaque with a Fire truck mounted to it and a Huge Red Panic Botton that sounded an alarm. That Panic button was to simulate an incoming Immediate Priority Requirement. I never realized that everybody thought I was in a Panic mode, I just thought I was getting ahead of what had to be accomplished that came in as an immediate requirement. Guess NOT.... I did work in the Desert Strom Mission, so it was pretty hectic. VET
For the last 3 or 4 winters, I have made sure I burned all of the summer blend fuel (or most of it), out of the tank before mid December. I then buy about 15 gallons of NON-ETHANOL fuel. I used to have to go upstate for it, but now I have 2 choices here on Long Island. It is expensive for sure, but I have 3 octane choices, 91, 93, and 98, all with NO ethanol. 15 gallons gets me through the winter. I like to drive my GS as long as there is no snow/ice/salt on the roadways. Fortunately, the last few winters, even when we have gotten snow, we get a stretch where it warms up and rains, melting the snow, and washing the salt from the roads. I can get the car out once or twice a month. I have had E10 pump fuel go bad on me several times, even with Stabilizer in it. It doesn't burn the same, and I can feel it in the way the engine runs. It smokes from the exhaust, and also blackens the plugs. It is worth it to me to just put the Ethanol Free stuff in for the Winter. VET, it is an electric choke. It will react faster in warm weather, and slower in the cold. Once you have it set in the cold, it will work just fine in the summer.
Thank you for educating me. I didn't know there is a different setting between summer and winter. As far as gas goes, Northern Virginia doesn't allow non-ethanol to be sold. Larry, again, thank you very much. I will reset the choke. VET PS, Marry Christmas to all and a Happy new Year....
Check choke first before anything else. It should flap freely if you move it with your finger. No binding allooooowwwwed.
Xmas morning, started up the Buick (57 degrees), fully expecting to adjust the choke. Started up just fine, choke worked and had a good idle. What gives? Just 2 days ago when the temperature was 42*/44*, had all kinds of problems starting the engine and maintaining an idle. I have to guess, the temperature difference between 57* & 42*/44* is making a huge difference With the choke setting... I'll have to wait for a cold day (40 or below) day and try again. From the pics, you can see the progression of startup and idle stages. Vet
It's also possible that your first effort flooded the engine, and left a bunch of crud on the plugs. This could be a combo of fuel and oil from the repeated cranking until the battery was dead. The next start burned off the crud. Hence the blue smoke and rough idle. Now it's good to go and you know how to start it. Merry Christmas
Yeah, it needs more choke in 40* weather. Still would rather not adjust it? I think you will need to when it gets colder.
Max, I DID flood the engine because it wouldn't start on the first pump, so I pumped it 5 more times while trying to start it on every pump, Opps. That did the plugs in for sure. That's where all that bluest smoke came from . My daughter started screaming, you're smoking us out and oil stinking up all the furniture and stuff Mom is storing on the other side of the storage unit. Opps Vet
Larry, i'am going to wait until the weather gets colder (40 & lower) and see what happens when I try to do a startup. I'am pretty sure I will have to adjust the choke, but I want to be 100% sure. I've run into a lot of bumps in the road the past 2 years, so, I don't need to create problems where there may not be any. Best way is the test the startup in cold temperatures and see what happens, then go from there. Vet
They sell "pure or true fuel" in Northern VA. Most people use it in their small engines. For example, Honda generators recommend it. See: https://www.pure-gas.org/
Vet, I would have to think that is not unusual… we charge batteries for free all the time. It’s just the cost of doing business. But happy for you nonetheless.
Nothing, stop obsessing over it. Were you going to drive the car anywhere after you started it? If not, leave it be till spring! The WORST thing for ANY car being stored is to start it up letting it idle till warm, then shutting it off. Unless your going to drive it for an hour in the cold, leave it sit.
Ok, I'll do that. I'll just keep a tender on the battery to keep it charged. I guess I thought I had to start up the engine and let to idle to engine temperature every 2 weeks. Thank you for the advise, I appreciate it. PS, I have never stored a car before. Vet (Navy)
Hey Vet I am in Michigan so I understand the colder conditions. I don't start my classic cars during the winter months, and I will run the old gas down in the fall and start putting non-ethanol fuel in gas in the tank approximately 1 month before I put them up. I usually get gas in my cans and add the fuel at home, but some stations are now adding the longer hoses. I run non-ethanol only in my motorcycle and lawn equipment.
You know the saying “ Rode hard and put away wet”? Do the same to your car in the fall Run ‘er hard, get ‘er good and warm/hot and park it.
To add to this, the only thing I’ve done to my GS since I parked it besides unplugging the battery, was I went out (to my garage) this morning and popped the rad cap off to make sure my coolant wasn’t turning slushy as it’s down to single digits for the next few days. I run way less than 50/50 mix of coolant (cools better in warmer weather) I think it’s like MAYBE 80/20, I have only 1 gallon of antifreeze in it for lube and rust prevention, all is well!
